It was Only a Week Ago
by Icehale
Summary: When Riley first learns about Maya liking Lucas, she didn't know what to think, what to feel. All she knew was that nothing would ever be the same again. Until he walked in through her window and soothed her fears. Would a talk that happened a week later change everything?
**Icehale: Hey! It's Icehale back with a Girl Meets World one-shot. For those of you who don't know me, I'm Ice and I love to write. So it's nice to meet you! To anyone who likes Lucaya, I kind of suggest that you don't read this, as it's geared towards Rucas and Joshaya. So that was the warning, and yeah. Riley, you want to do the disclaimer?**

 **Riley: Icehale doesn't own anything mentioned besides the plot of this one-shot. Maybe. She doesn't think anyone else has done this, but if they have, she gives out her most sincere apologies. This style of doing the disclaimer was an idea she got from Kihonne, a fanfiction author on this site.**

It had only been a week ago when Maya refused to watch Lucas at the rodeo. Only a week since Riley had begun referring to Lucas as a brother.

Riley couldn't stand to think of it. The betrayal, it was too large. She had never thought that Maya and Lucas could ever like each other. To her, it was too far fetched to accept. Maya made fun of Lucas all the time, and Lucas slightly teased her in return, but still focused his friendships on mostly Farkle and Zay.

Though Riley did know that if she really looked, the clues would be there. For example, take their class voting Maya and Lucas as Best Couple in the yearbook. Riley may have been Morotia at the time, but she still heard every word Maya said. Riley knew that her best friend believed she thought of Lucas as a brother. But she didn't. And she couldn't, not now or ever.

Would anyone ever believe her? Would she ever be taken seriously? After the whole fiasco, it was hard to believe it had only been a week. And now, she had only a little bit of time before Farkle revealed her secret. Would Lucas pick her over Maya? Riley didn't think he would.

Riley stood and walked to the bay window. She stared outside, not believing what she saw. Maya and a boy, most likely Lucas, sitting outside of Topanga's, laughing intensely. She saw the chemistry they held and closed her eyes, a tear slipping out. Nothing would ever work for her. Not anymore. She was basically alone.

At the sound of a knock, Riley looked up. "Lucas?"

It wasn't a completely out of the blue idea. Lucas was one of Riley's closest friends, one she would trust with her life. Him being in her room was more of something that came with the deal, not a treacherous act. Hopefully.

"Hey," he gave her an uncertain smile. "Can I come in?"

"Yes, of course," she whispered, blinking away the tears that were about to fall. "What are you doing here?"

Lucas climbed into her room, opening his mouth to speak before sighing. "We need to talk. And this time, you can't cut me off."

"But you were just downstairs," Riley protested, glancing down to find her best friend. "With—"

The boy was still talking to Maya and Riley blinked in surprise at the sight. Who was that though, if not Lucas? Who else could make Maya this happy besides Riley?

"I wasn't with anyone," Lucas told her, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "I just arrived."

Riley turned away, trying to stall for a bit of time. "Maya's at Topanga's if you're looking for her."

"I'm not here to see Maya, Riley," Lucas said, his green eyes shining. "I'm here to see you. Maya knows I'm here, she and Josh are talking about everything. She says it helps to talk to someone. I want to help you Riley, if you'll let me."

Riley looked him dead in the eye. "I don't need help. I just need, I don't know, but I don't need to talk to someone. I'm fine, I swear." She didn't mention the fingers she crossed behind her back, hoping he would buy the statement.

"Riley," he took a breath. "Texas was challenging, I know that well enough. But did you really ask Maya how she felt? Or did you assume that she felt that way about me? Speaking of which, did you ask me? Why did you just figure that Maya liked me? Because she didn't say anything after you asked her about it? Riley, Maya's like a sister to me. And I know that she thinks of me as a brother, one that she tries to annoy at all times. But we've never had those kinds of feeling for each other. It's...too strange to even think of." By this point, his voice had unintentionally raised a bit. "God Riley, it's never been Maya, it's always been you. Always."

Riley looked up, shaking her head. "But what about that moment by the campfire?" she asked, her voice breaking. "You two felt something there, didn't you?"

"It was a single moment, one that a lot of people feel at some point in time if they're the opposite gender," Lucas sighed. "Riley, I thought you knew that it wasn't real between Maya and I. Why didn't you talk to me. You'd have known sooner if you did."

"I know it now," Riley told him, looking down. "But Lucas, I can't do this right now. It's…too soon after. I need time to let this sink in."

"Take all the time you need," Lucas assured her. "I'll be waiting for you.

•••

Lucas stuck to his promise, waiting for nearly a year until she was ready. Riley had told him to go out and date a few girls while she came to terms with the information he had given her. He never did date though, preferring to keep tabs on how Maya and Josh were progressing. They were getting along a lot more by then and Lucas and Riley could both tell that Riley's best friend and uncle would be dating after Maya graduated. And they did.

Riley kept the promise she made to Farkle, telling Lucas that she did still love him. Charlie Gardner bonded with Maya well and the two of them ended up as pretty close friends. Zay broke up with Vanessa for a girl who had caught his eye in high school. Farkle, completely in love with Isadora Smackle, ended up being Riley and Lucas's biggest fan, sometimes even convincing Smackle to spy on Riley and Lucas's dates.

As for the two themselves, they eventually got past Texas, nearly forgetting that the event happened. Lucas proposed, once they both left college, and Riley accepted with an eye of excitement. And once they came back from their honeymoon, there was no doubt that the two would be together for the rest of their lives.

Isn't it funny how a talk a week after a large event can change everything you've gotten used to?


End file.
